NEXT

We’re snowed in, here in Maryland—30 inches or more. But that will not stop the planning for Next 2010!

God is blessing us—we already had a number of people contact us to volunteer and we are already well on the way to filling these teams (bookstore, ushers, speaker care, etc.).  These are people who give up their Memorial Day weekend, come and work through the conference (not attending and enjoying the sessions like everyone else), and pay for their own travel, lodging and meals to do it!

Let me give an example: Bob & Marge Merryman, a retired couple, have served at every New Attitude and Next conference we have held. They don’t just serve—and serve well—but they care for attendees, interact with attendees, and pray for the attendees.

Without a large team of volunteers like this, we could not put on this conference.

Let’s thank God for the volunteers and pray that God will bless them as they serve Him and us.

I don’t like overstatement. If I ask you how a movie was, and you tell me that it was incredible, mind-blowing, and the greatest movie since “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze”, I would hope that you’re not exaggerating. If something truly was incredible, let’s call it “incredible”. But otherwise, let’s call it “pretty good”, “okay”, or “at least it didn’t give me a headache”.

So I say these next words very carefully, and without exaggeration: At the 2001 NEXT Conference I heard a life-changing message.

The message was by C.J. Mahaney and it was called “The Main Thing”.

The point of the message: we must keep the gospel central in our lives. It is THE main thing. Nothing more important. Nothing more glorious. The Christian life orbits around and is changed by the gospel. The gospel defines our relationship with God.

I had grown up in a Christian home. I was a pastor’s kid. Growing up, I had played with Bible action figures. But these were new words to me. Life-changing words.

My life has been very different since I heard that sermon. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ occupy a central place in my life and heart. My relationship with God has been transformed. All by a one hour sermon. One hour, a lifetime of change.

Go to the NEXT Conference, hear God’s word preached, and be changed.

I spend most of my life looking through a tiny window pane. The window of my own experience: the shutters that have ushered in the winds of grace, the glass squares that have braced against the rains of refreshing, coming to cleanse soul-drought. Through these panels, my soul’s window, I have seen fields of green, pasture-peace that passes understanding. I have seen valleys, dark trenches of soul-weariness that have echoed with valley-cries and always received nothing but faithfulness in return. My view is rich with God’s mercy. My view tells a story and it is one of God’s personal faithfulness.

But my view is not enough.

If you come to Next, you will see what I mean. You will hear stories and testimonies. You will look through other windows. Not only that, you will worship next to them, eat next to them, stand in line at Starbucks next to them. That is what I love about Next. It is like a house of windows. Each panel telling a different story, but all reflecting on theme: faithfulness.

“In the beginning, God…”

When’s the last time you really stopped to study the fourth word in that sentence?

If you’re like me your mind moves pretty quickly beyond that word that to all the other questions in Genesis––questions about how God made the world, or the effects of Adam and Eve’s sin, or how tall the tower of Babel was, or who in the world that Melchizedek guy is.

But the Bible is pretty clear from the beginning on what the whole book is about: God.

That’s why this month we’re featuring articles and excerpts on the Doctrine of God (basically, “what the Bible says on the topic of God”). The authors include J.I. Packer, Wayne Grudem, and Bruce Ware. The articles involve nuclear explosions, the darkest parts of humanity, all facts ever recorded, and the true source of identity and purpose.

And good news: each article is only around 500 words. You can read that. In those 500 words each article is still packed with truth that will push you to think deeply.

(Note: Initially, we were worried about giving people theology in such theology-packed concentrated doses…but our test readers only blacked out briefly and woke up reciting the Heidelberg Catechism, so I think we’re good to go.)

Read the introduction to this month, or jump straight to the webzine.

The staff at Next are very grateful for the thousands of people that attend the conference each year. It is a substantial sacrifice for so many of you. We are constantly amazed and humbled at what you sacrifice and what you give up to attend. You could be sitting at the beach, hiking in the Smokies, exploring the Amazon, or whatever you like to do on vacation. Yet you choose to spend time and money to pursue your walk with the Savior and deepen relationships with His people. We pray that God blesses you and meets you at Next 2010.

There is a group of people that we are especially grateful for…pastors & leaders. These men (and often their wives, too) take time out of their busy schedules to attend Next with their local church. They’re not attending just for the great teaching and worship. They’re attending so that they can serve those that come from their local church. They spend the conference praying with (and for) their friends. They stay up way past their preferred bed time to talk, counsel, laugh, and bless. They miss time with their family. They postpone projects and deadlines. These men and their wives are true examples of selfless service. They love their Savior and they love the people He has given into their care.

Pastors/Leaders, we are so grateful for you! Thank you for your godly examples and love for your churches! If you are planning to attend Next 2010, please take advantage of our free registration. That’s right! If you are a pastor or leader and you’re bringing 8 or more people from your church, you qualify for free registration! To take advantage of this, please go to our Registration Page. You will find a request form below the registration link. Please fill it out and the Next Staff will be in contact with you. It’s our small way of saying Thank You!

I’m sure we’ve all observed to one degree or another that NEXT is not just for Sovereign Grace, 9Marks or Desiring God ministries “types”... There isn’t a generic “type” of christian group that NEXT targets. It’s not just for the new, life long or struggling Christian. Nor is it just for theologians or the “spirit filled” (which both should go hand in hand no?), rather NEXT is a culmination of all sorts of Christians and even some non-christians brought along by their friends. And you know what encouraged most of them to attend this conference? You!

Sure some of the most gifted communicators will be there teaching on God’s word. Sure there will be great worship with hundreds of fellow believers… but who wants to go alone? Who wants to drive or fly several hours to a conference they’ve never been to?

When getting the word out to people about NEXT fliers, posters and pamphlets are great, but what is better is personal testimony and word of mouth. A poster may spark interest and conversation, but are you going to go to a conference due to a poster or just a web site no matter how ridiculously cool they are? You can do what the posters can’t! Answer and ask questions! Put a person in-front of one of those posters who is adamantly telling you of the growth and encouragement they saw in their life as a fruit from attending NEXT! Man! That’s an encouragement!

Now of course we are not talking about “selling” the NEXT conference, rather just like the guys and gals who invited you and me to Na or NEXT our first time: we want to share the wealth of God’s goodness and grace experienced at this conference!

So with this in mind here are some practical ideas on ways to promote NEXT on campus:

• Set up a table with info and get guy/gals to man it and discuss NEXT with fellow students. We’ve done such things on the UGA campus with large success.
• Set up a little event like an open discussion and simply plug NEXT there for a minute or two afterward or at your campus events just make a casual announcement about “anyone who wishes to attend NEXT…”
• Do something to create attention like give away something cheap and fun (like freeze pops… hahah *joke*... cause its winter see…ha-uh never-mind).
• Simply TALK to your friends about it! “hey you goning to NEXT?” is all it takes!
• Wear your shirts! They are very thoughtfully designed! I get at least one person asking me about NEXT or Na every time I wear my shirts!
• Set up posters and fliers on notice boards (get approval first).
• Get info about NEXT to leaders of other Churches and College Ministries. Its just a little thing that goes a very long way!

This list is not exhaustive and is mentioned to inspire creativity in YOU to get the word out on YOUR campus. Go and tell of the grace God had shown you through this conference so that others may receive the same benefit you have!

I asked my sister, Katie, to write a paragraph about the wonderful resources available on the Next website…


Hi, folks! Katie Britt here. Are you one of those people who enjoy fun wall paper on your computer? Are you on the prowl for new gadgets for your blog or Facebook page? Well, we have a little gift for you! Our brilliant website team has created some cool banners and wall paper. There are all sorts of options right at your fingertips. Where do you find them? Yep, you guessed it, the Next website. Play around with the available resources, have fun! Create a countdown using one of the many banners and stick it on your blog. Find creative ways to promote Next on your FB page or website. The possibilities are endless!


So, what are you waiting for? You have 121 days left to get your creative juices going and start promoting.

What I love most about this conference happened at a girls’ session in 2004.  I know it’s a bit odd for a guy to say that, but it’s true.

Of course, there are a lot of things I love about NEXT.  I love the laughter and fellowship with friends.  I love worshipping God with thousands of other young people who are passionate about Jesus.  I love the teaching, which has had an enduring impact in my life.  Last May, I remember having pizza with my friends Matt and Tim after C.J.‘s sermon on Christ’s death; all three of us had tears on our faces by the time the meal was over.  (I never did find out what the server thought about three guys in their twenties who had to ask for more napkins to wipe off their tears.)

But none of those things are what I love MOST about NEXT.

Back to the girls’ session in 2004.  A girl from our church (Sara) met a girl sitting in front of her (Katie) who had moved to our area just days before.  It turned out that they lived within a few blocks of each other.  They almost immediately became friends.  Sara invited Katie to visit our church.  And then, after the girls’ meeting was over, Sara introduced Katie to me (because I led a small group in the same part of town).  Today, I’m so glad to say that Katie is a faithful member of our church, the mother of my favorite kids in the world, and the wife of a guy who cries at pizza restaurants.  (That’s me, in case you aren’t connecting the dots.)

The moral of the story? This year at NEXT, many people’s lives will be impacted by the teaching.  Many friends will experience memorable fellowship.  Many people will build new friendships.  Some people will find a local church.  And a couple of people may even meet their future spouse.

I’m not sure what God would have in store for you.  But, if I were you, I’d sure be eager to find out!

If someone were to ask me what my favorite part of the Next conference was, I would be stumped. How can you have a favorite? The teaching is stellar, the fellowship unbelievable, the morning devotions are helpful/instructive, and the memories are unforgettable!

However, there is an aspect of the conference that I do anticipate… undistracted time worshipping my Savior. The cares of life seem small and distractions seem less. These times have often been characterized by sweet fellowship, careful caring, and gentle correction with/by my Heavenly Father.  Magnifying the Creator with over 2,000 fellow Christians; it doesn’t get any better this side of Heaven.

If you’ve never attended a Next conference, I hope this video whets your appetite. And if you’ve attended Next, watch the video anyways!  You can never get enough of God-centered lyrics and passionate worship!

By This We Know Love from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

Which conference speaker watches that PBS program where people bring stuff from their dusty attics to a showroom, only to find out that Uncle John’s tin can belonged to Stonewall Jackson and is worth $12-14 grand?

Which conference speaker has a preacher-squirrel figurine in his study named ‘Whitefield’?

Mark Dever is back this year.  [Insert outbreak of cheers]  I’m sure we could list off a bunch of things - 9 would be a great number for such a list - about this prospect that excite us.  To keep this brief, I’ll just include a finger sampling (thumb not included). Mark’s sermons and writings regularly edify my soul and have helped me ...

1. ...grow in my love for God’s Word.  I’ve been going through his book, The Message of the Old Testament, this year.  It has been immensely helpful.  I love how he helps me to see the big picture - how each biblical book relates to the overall movement of God’s purposes in salvation.
2. ...see how the gospel is our message for the world and for each other, as fellow Christians.  It is all our evangelism, all our counsel, our stability in suffering, our motivation for obedience, and our confidence and hope for the future.
3. ...realize that rigorous study of Scripture and a passion to evangelize are not mutually exclusive.  I love hearing how Mark intentionally looks for ways to go to the same Subway and the same barber so that over time he can share the good news with those who don’t know Christ.
4. ...cultivate gratefulness for the everyday glories of being a part of the local church.  Again these aren’t unique to Mark, among the main session speakers, but here again, this man loves the local church.  I’ve heard Mark give dozens of messages.  I’ve only heard him get “choked up” twice:  once while he was reading a quote from Charles Spurgeon on the experience of caring for church members who were on the brink of death.  The other was when Mark told his audience (at a seminary) that that coming weekend he would be celebrating 15 years of ministry at Capitol Hill Baptist Church.  His heart for the people and sense of gratefulness to God for the privilege of serving them continue to affect me deeply.

Well that’s enough from me.  Some favorite Dever sermons/book/article/interview recommends are most welcome here. Whatcha got?

Hello NEXT blog readers:),

Hope you all are getting excited for the conference. Paul and his team cannot be thanked enough for all that they are doing. In fact, you can always leave a comment on his last post to encourage and express your gratitude.

Here is a little twist on ways to promote NEXT. How about promoting NEXT in your heart. Yes that sounds a little cheesy, however we can begin preparing our hearts now for what the Lord has to teach us at the conference. Isn’t it exciting that God WANTS to bless us and reveal himself to us? In faith we can anticipate the good in store that the Lord has for us.  So, in preparing our hearts, we can begin praying for the conference-asking the Lord to meet us and show us more of himself.

But why stop there-why not gather with the others in your church who are going to NEXT? In the past the NEXT “goers” here at Kingsway Community Church have gathered a couple times a month for lunch and then prayer. NEXT “wingdings” could be as simple as meeting at Chipotles to share what you desire to learn at the conference or gathering for a time to specifically pray for each other and the conference. Not only will this build closer relationships among NEXT “goers”, but it will serve to prepare our own hearts. So, drop a comment and let me know if you have done any sort of NEXT wingding in the past and how the Lord used those times.

Signing off for now with only 127 days until NEXT 2010!

Organizing a conference isn’t that difficult. Remembering to organize everything—there’s the challenge (especially for those among us who are…well, let’s say, more mature)!

One moment we are drawing up a detailed floor plot of the main session hall to send for the approval of the Fire Marshall—the next moment we are making a note to buy extra AAA batteries for the headset mic.

One moment we are arranging the travel and lodging for the speakers— the next moment we are talking with local Police because the Orioles have a game next door during the conference.

One moment we are recruiting Community Group Leaders—the next moment we are asking someone to drive the rental truck.

One moment we are discussing what book titles to have in the bookstore—the next moment we are ensuring that we have got adequate insurance coverage.

One moment we are making a list of all the signs we need to design and manufacture—the next moment we are responding to the many people offering to serve throughout the conference.

One moment we are renting two-way radios—the next moment we are drawing up the Session Schedule so everyone knows what’s happening when.

One moment we are checking on the hours Starbucks will be open—the next moment we are preparing a packing list.

One moment we are asking IT to provide a printer onsite—the next moment we are negotiating the contracts for Next 2011 and 2012.

You get the picture.

Oh, it’s fun!  We love it. But we want to be sure that in the midst of all the planning and the details, we are not doing what we like/want, but what God has for those attending. We want all the details set so no one attending is distracted by something we miss or get wrong. And above all, we want our labors to be pleasing to God.

Please pray for us (and especially for Grant Layman and Paul Medler as they meet most Friday mornings to plan the logistics).

Hello! I am back!

I want to help give you ideas and get you excited about getting other people excited about NEXT!
Not that I assume you are already ecstatic about Next - but here you are reading this blog post and commenting on it telling me how excited you are! (hint hint)

THE BOOTH. You should have received a promo packet. Now, I don’t know about you, but if I am walking through the lobby in my church’s building and I pass a table with some papers spread out, I don’t usually notice it. I figure most people are the same, so how are we supposed to get people excited about something if they just walk right past the only info available and not even know it? I’m guessing level of anticipation will not be growing.
So here’s your and my job! Talk to you pastor/administrator/groupleader or whoever’s permission is needed. And then get creative! Maybe you have a planning or decorating team in your church. Come up with cool ways to set up your table, so that it will actually make people stop and look at it.

Some ideas: (and be sure to check out previous posts for a lot of fantastic ideas)
- Find a way to incorporate the “NEXT” name/log where it’s big and beautiful.
- Include photos; if you’re church has gone in the past, maybe find some group shots in front of the big “NA” or “NEXT” signs.
- Personalize it; maybe a few people can write a paragraph or so on how God used NEXT/Na as a tool in their life, or maybe a memorable/hilarious story. (ie. “So we all decided to walk to White Castle for a midnight meal and…”)
- Prayer Cards; Jessica mentioned prayer cards. These could be huge in getting even people who aren’t going to be able to make it involved.
- Bulletin board/news; an area to post important dates or info about the conference on here (ie. Deadline to register, fundraising dinner, prayer meeting, etc)

My last point: start talking about it.
I found out last year that telling people one, even two months in advance is not enough (especially with college students). This year I started telling people about the conference in the middle of last semester. If your friends hear from you how you have been personally affected by the word taught, the worship times, the fellowship, the small groups (big one for me!), or just dedicating a few days to spend with the Lord, they’re going to be more interested. I want to get people excited because I know how refreshing and amazing this conference is - I want them to experience it too!

Now I leave you with a photo of my awesome sister, Alli, who has been a huge part of getting our booth prepared for our lobby!
(and no, the lion&lamb shirt was not planned) =)

Leave comments about your ideas, too!

I always enjoy those moments when I run across somebody that enjoys their job as much as I do. And there’s always a connection when you discover that you both work in the same field and that you are both Christians. There’s nothing like talking about one’s job with another believer who has the same vocation. If you are attending Next 2010, than get ready to meet a lot of people in your field. This year we will be taking one afternoon to hold what we call Affinity Groups. We’re really excited about the opportunity for you to meet people who love the Savior and who work in a field that is similar to yours.

We want your ideas! What Affinity Group would you like to see? We’ve had many suggestions (see below) and we’re looking forward to having many more.

• Administrative church staff
• Artists
• Actors
• Business
• Doctors
• Engineering
• Graphic Designers
• Journalism
• Law Enforcement
• Legal
• Music
• Non-Profit Worker
• Nursing
• Politics
• Scientists
• Teachers
• Writers

So, what would you add to the list? You can submit your ideas HERE.

*Disclaimer* Our desire is to have as many groups as space permits. However, we may not be able to do all the groups above or ones yet to be submitted. Thank you for your understanding!

How much do I love the Next conference? Let me count the ways. Six of them to be exact.

• Dynamite, lights-out, oh no you didn’t, preaching. Imagine sitting under incredible, Bible-saturated, heart-stirring preaching for three days. Okay, now stop imagining it and go to Next where you’ll actually experience it.
• Getting free coffee and doughnuts each morning from the Courtesy Ninjas. Nothing says “I Love You” like a free doughnut. Actually, a hug and $100 dollars says it pretty well too, but besides that, nothing beats a free doughnut.
• Late night conversations with friends about all that God is doing in your life. There’s something special about being awake at 3 A.M. and chatting with friends about the majesty of Jesus.
• Needing to tape both your eyelids open because you stayed up until 3 A.M. the previous night.
• Joining thousands of other people in loud, raucous, joyful worship to the Creator of the Universe.
• And finally (and if this doesn’t convince you, nothing will)...the possibility that some of you may meet your future spouse at the conference. Come on, I just said what everyone else was thinking.

That’s why I love Next. Why do you love it?